Fire and Ice
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Ice is cold, fire is hot. Bella is about to get burned... Set in Eclipse AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Ice **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

The bonfire glowed brightly in the darkness. Occasionally sparks would shoot from the flames before dying in the cold night air. It illuminated the animated faces of the pack as they sat around the edges, soaking up the warmth and comradeship. Billy Black sat at the head of the circle; he had just finished waxing lyrical about the tribe's histories. His audience had been spellbound as they listened to his husky voice weaving the old stories until they actually saw them played out in their minds. He smiled as he watched their reactions.

"Enough now go and eat. This is a party after all." He gestured toward the pre prepared food which was laid out on a row of camping tables.

Jacob scrambled up onto his feet and turned and held out his hand for Bella. She was perched on an old bleached out log, while he had been sitting at her feet. "Come; let's grab some food before my greedy brother's eat the lot."

"I'm not hungry, Jake. You go..." she smiled softly at him before turning her gaze back toward the glowing bonfire.

"Bells, you must want something..." he said again.

"No, I am fine, honestly. I have to go soon..." she admitted.

Jacob frowned. "It's still early; you don't need to go yet."

"It's coming up to ten, Jake." Bella hedged. "I came didn't I?"

She saw Jacob's jaw clench as he struggled to hold back a sarcastic retort. "I didn't realize spending time with me was such a chore." He muttered eventually.

"It's not...I just can't stay too long. Edward..." her voice tailed off as he snorted loudly.

"Yeah, I forgot, the leech...he always comes first. Don't worry about your so called best friend." he spat back at her.

Bella could hear the underlying hurt in his voice and she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had intended to stay longer but somehow Edward had railroaded her into agreeing to leave by ten thirty. She stood up from her seat and caught hold of Jacob's hand. He had his head down and was breathing deeply. She knew that it was his way of trying to calm down.

"Jake, he doesn't come first. I am so sorry but... he has been so worried for my safety that he can be a bit over cautious. I'm sorry." she apologised; she squeezed his hand and tried to make him look at her.

"Stay..." he whispered as he finally raised his head to look her directly in the eyes.

She began to chew on her bottom lip, a sure sign she was agitated. A big part of her wanted to, but she was worried about Edward's reaction. He still did not fully trust the wolves due to their quick tempers, although she had reassured him constantly that his fears were groundless. Jake would never hurt her, ever.

Jacob knew Bella so well, he could sense that she was wavering and he took advantage of her indecision. "Please Bells, I miss my best friend. I have hardly seen you lately. Please." He gave her the full force of his puppy dog eyes and she finally gave in.

"Alright you win..." she conceded. Jacob gave her a sunny grin and picked her up into a tight bear hug. "Can't breathe..." she gasped.

Jacob laughed happily as he placed her back down on her feet.

XXXXXX

Bella did not divulge the conversation she had shared with Edward. He had left her alone to give her some privacy so that she could call the leech from the fancy cell phone he had given her. When she rejoined him, her pale face was flushed and he could see tears shimmering in her eyes. He did not comment on it, he just held out his arms and she sank gratefully into his warm embrace. The pack had started to sing an ancient tribal song. The words were in Quileute so Bella did not understand what they were singing about, but their beautiful voices blended so well and she found herself mesmerized by the proud looks on everyone's faces as they sang.

She was shocked when she suddenly heard Jacob begin to join in to what she assumed was the chorus. His deep baritone resonated through the dark night and she felt stunned. This was a side she had never witnessed to him before. When they did manage to spend some rare time alone they never really talked about the pack or his life. The pure selfishness of their one sided friendship hit her like a slap in the face. His voice was beautiful, just like him. One by one the others fell silent as Jacob sang the last few verses of the tribal song alone.

As the last words died in the air, silence reigned. Bella studied each individual face; they all wore the exact same sorrowful expression. Whatever the song had been about it had not been a happy one. She watched as a tear rolled down Billy's face, he nodded at each member of the pack before he spoke. "Tonight we remember those we have lost. We must all stick together and stay strong, you all have great responsibility for ones so young and I and the other members of this tribe are proud of you all." He said huskily.

"I need to speak to my father, Bells. I will be back in a minute." He whispered to her.

Bella nodded dumbly as he released his hold on her and left to join Billy. She felt chilly without his supernatural warmth to keep the cold at bay. The fire had died down; the glowing embers cast shadows on everyone's faces, hiding their expressions. She turned her attention back to Jacob and his dad; they were having an intense discussion. Billy kept glancing at her sadly while Jacob was talking to him. She wondered what the older man was thinking. Eventually Billy nodded at his son and called out to Sam that he was ready to leave. Sam spoke to Jacob briefly before assisting Billy with pushing his wheelchair across the sand.

XXXXXX

Jacob sat down next to Bella and gazed into the fire, a contemplative look on his handsome face. Bella did not know what to do; he seemed so melancholy all of a sudden. "Are you alright, Jake?" she asked after a moment of silence passed.

"I'm not sure..." he murmured.

Bella felt sick, was something wrong with his dad? Billy suffered with diabetes and was now all Jake had left. His sisters had left home long ago and his mom passed away when he was young. She edged closer to him and rested her hand on his arm. He turned and looked at her with his dark eyes. "Jake, please talk to me..." she pleaded.

"I want to...but you might not like what you hear..." he said sadly.

Bella turned and kneeled next to him; she moved her hand from his arm and tentatively touched his cheek instead. "Has this got something to do with the song you were singing? It sounded so sad, what was it about?"

Jacob placed his hand over hers and kept it pressed to his cheek. "It was about the Alpha spirit wolf that lost his mate..." he explained. "She was his everything and he couldn't carry on in this life without her so he went in search of her in the spirit world."

"Did he find her?" She whispered.

"No one knows..."

"Jake, I can't stand this, what are you not telling me? Is it your dad? Is he ill or something?" She questioned him.

"No..."

"Then what is it? Stop being so cryptic..."she demanded.

Jacob took a deep breath before releasing her hand and transferring it into both of his own. He looked at her intently for a moment before finally dropping the bombshell. "I imprinted..."

Bella stared at him wide eyed as the blood rushed to her head and she fainted into his arms.

XXXXXX

When she opened her eyes a few moments later she found Jacob gazing anxiously at her. "Bells, are you alright? I shouldn't have told you so bluntly. I'm sorry."

Bella felt nauseous, she swallowed the bile in her throat. That was the reason he had begged her to attend the bonfire tonight, so she could listen to the old legends about the imprints and that song...she felt deceived."When did this happen?" she demanded harshly.

Jacob helped her to sit up and then released her before he spoke. "Not long after I phased...to be honest maybe even before then." he admitted.

"Why did you not tell me before?" She felt her anger rising.

"You weren't ready to hear it. I wouldn't be telling you now but the elders insisted that you be told. Don't panic, I am not forcing you into anything..." he said bitterly.

"Forcing me into what? I am pissed that you lied to me about this. You told me that you hadn't imprinted when I asked you before after you first told me about imprinting." she ranted. "Where is she anyway? Or should I say who?"

Jacob stared at her in shock. "What do you mean who? For fuck's sake Bella I am talking about you..."

"Me? You imprinted on me?" she gasped.

"YES..." he yelled at her, his frustration getting the better of him.

Bella was rendered mute; her heart beat sounded loud to her ears as she tried to digest this startling news. An image of the meadow appeared in her mind's eye, she recalled seeing the russet brown wolf and staring into its dark eyes. She remembered the feeling of calmness when they had gazed at one another for those few brief seconds before he began his pursuit of Laurent. She should have been afraid of the large wolves but she hadn't been. In fact she had always felt at ease whenever any of the pack was in their wolf forms. It had always been obvious but she had refused to see what was right in front of her.

"I don't know what to say..."

Jacob just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't expect you to say anything..." he sighed. "You don't need to worry about this, Bells."

"I do need to worry. This concerns us both; you are my best friend so of course I worry. I am so confused right now Jake. This is a huge thing to take in." she said softly.

"I don't want to lose you..." he confessed, the panic was written all over his face as he turned and looked at her.

Bella hated the sad look on his face, his pain was her pain. It wasn't the first time she had thought that. Now she realised why. "Come here," she whispered, holding out her arms. It was rare for Bella to initiate any touches. It was usually him who took her hand or put his arms around her.

Jacob felt her arms encircle his neck as he pressed his head into her shoulder. They held each other for a long time as the fire slowly burnt itself out.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fire and Ice **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Two**

Jacob held onto Bella's hand and guided her through the darkness toward his house. He could see perfectly through the gloom but she was tripping over every dip and groove in the ground. In the end he hoisted her up into his arms, ignoring her protests.

"Chill Bells, you're going to do yourself an injury if you carry on walking in the dark. It's easier this way." he said in amusement.

Bella relaxed and stared up at him, she caught the gleam from his teeth as he flashed her one of his grins. "You just wanted the excuse to carry me..." she laughed as he did not issue a denial.

Their banter diffused the tension from earlier in the evening. Jacob's confession had created awkwardness between them. Bella did not know how to act or what to say. In the end they had both given up on conversation and just sat by the fire soaking in the atmosphere. Time had drifted by and it was now close to midnight, she needed to go home. Edward had been calling and texting her constantly for the last half an hour. She had ignored both until the sound of the cell going off made her send him an angry text to stop and that Jacob would be bringing her home.

They reached the front door of his house and Jacob reluctantly put her down. She swayed slightly in an effort to get her balance and he placed his warm hands around her waist to steady her. Bella's hands rested on his biceps as she gazed up at him from under her long eyelashes. Tension once again filled the air as they stared at each other. Jacob did not take his hands away and Bella did not pull back.

"Bells..." he said huskily as his eyes flicked to her lips.

Bella did not say anything; she was too caught up in his dark eyes. Ever so slowly Jacob inclined his head toward hers. She swallowed nervously waiting for his lips to reach hers, not sure that she would stop him if he did attempt to kiss her. She was surprised when he didn't, just let his mouth hover above her own. Their breaths mingled in the air and their eyes were locked as they continued to stare at each other.

"You have to ask me..." Jacob murmured, watching her closely.

Bella swallowed again. "Jake, I..."

They jerked away from each other as the front door was opened and Sam appeared. He looked at them, a smirk crossing his lips. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to talk." he said sarcastically.

Jacob glared at Sam irritably. "Can't it wait?"

"No," Sam replied bluntly.

Jacob sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his short hair and turned back to Bella regretfully. "Go inside, Bells. I will be back soon."

Bella glanced between Jacob and Sam. The tension between them was palpable. Jacob had told her that they were butting heads a lot more lately as he continued to rebel against Sam's control over the pack. He admired Sam but thought he was too inflexible and working the pack too hard with his rigid patrol schedules. Everyone was exhausted and on edge. She reached out and squeezed his hand before entering the house and closing the door behind her.

XXXXXX

Billy was sitting at the kitchen table carving, Bella watched as his hands moved expertly over the wood, using the tools skilfully to create his art. He glanced up at her as she entered the house and gestured for her to join him. She smiled at him tentatively as she pulled out a chair and sat opposite him.

"What are you making?" she asked curiously as he continued on with his work.

Billy looked at her with his wise eyes. He put down his tools and placed the small object into her hands. She glanced down and gasped, it was an exact replica of Jacob's wolf, right down to the colour of his fur. "It's beautiful..." she breathed, running her fingers over the smooth wood.

"It's yours..." Billy said patting her hand.

Bella looked at him again in awe. "I can't take this...it's too much."

"I want you to have it. When you and Jake are apart you will still have a piece of him with you."

Bella's fist closed over the small wooden wolf. She felt Billy watching her reactions carefully. "Jake told me about the imprint." she confessed.

"I know..." Billy said gently. "How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know..."Bella's voice trembled as she spoke. "I have been hurting him so much. He has been so patient with me. I am not sure where we go from here."

"Bella, do you really understand the consequences of what could happen to my son if you go ahead with your plans to turn."Billy stated bluntly.

Her eyes widened. "How do you know about that?"

"I am the one who has had to try and hold Jacob together when he falls apart. The very thought of what you are thinking about doing is tearing him to bits." Billy did not hold back. "If you go ahead with your plans then it will not only be your life that you will be losing. You will be condemning Jake as well."

Bella gripped the wolf so tightly that the edges cut into the palm of her hand. "That can't be true." she fretted.

"You are Jake's imprint...I know that he has not told you the full truth. My son will one day be the Alpha of the pack. Sam is doing his best but Jacob is already resisting his authority. The reason he is refusing to take his rightful place is you. He is so focused on keeping your heart beating that he is neglecting his duty." Billy watched the play of emotions crossing Bella's face as he spoke.

Tears began to leak out of Bella's eyes at his words. They shimmered in the dim light. "I am not good enough for him. Is there a way I can release Jake from the imprint bond?" she pleaded desperately.

"No," Billy shot back angrily. "Jacob is the true Alpha, unlike the others he chooses his own mate and he wants you because he loves you."

Bella gasped again, her breaths coming in short pants. She let her head fall into her hands and pressed the small wolf to her forehead, finding solace in the slight pain it caused. "I am not good enough for him. I can never be the woman he needs." she repeated sorrowfully.

Billy tugged on one of Bella's hands forcing her to look back up at him. "I know that you think that you are weak, but you are far from it. Your unnatural feelings for the cold one are what make you weak. He has controlled you to such an extent that you have forgotten who you are."

Before she could answer the front slammed as Jacob came back into the house, he saw Bella in tears and rushed to her side. He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair away from her face. "Bells, what's wrong?"

Bella didn't reply, she just slid forward in her chair and slipped her arms around his neck, burrowing her head in his shoulder. "I'm sorry, so sorry." she mumbled.

Jacob looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with his dad. "She needed to know." was all Billy said by way of explanation.

"That was not your call to make," Jacob shot back fiercely as he cradled Bella close. "That was my decision."

Billy remained impassive in the wake of his son's anger. "I was tired of watching you fall apart because you refused to tell her the full truth."

"We will speak later." Jacob ended the conversation with his dad as he lifted Bella back into his arms and carried her out of the house.

XXXXXX

Jacob turned off the engine of the VW Rabbit as he parked outside Bella's house. She had hardly spoken as he had reluctantly driven her home. The resulting silence as the engine died spoke volumes. Neither of them made a move to leave the car, they just stared out into the dark night.

It was Bella who finally broke the silence."You should have told me everything. It was not fair to keep this all from me." she said bitterly.

Jacob's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I don't want you to feel beholden to me. Your life is your own I will not force you into anything." He replied, his tone harsh.

"Jake, this is a big deal. You should have told me. I never knew that my...my decision would have such a life or death effect on you. I am so pissed at you right now. If I had gone through with...with...what I was planning. Jake your dad said you could die." she burst out. "You should have told me right then and there when I confessed to you about Edward's plan to change me."

"You would only have accused me of lying to try and stop you. I knew that you weren't ready to hear it. You had just got your beloved leech back. You didn't want to know."

Bella could not issue a rebuttal; she knew he spoke the truth. Exhaustion crept over her as she glanced back up at her house. "He will be waiting in my room for me," she sighed, still not making a move to leave the car.

"Creepy..." Jacob muttered.

The way he said the word made Bella laugh involuntarily; Jacob looked at her in surprise. Her whole body was shaking as she let out a great belly laugh. "Are you alright?" he asked her in confusion.

Bella gasped for breath as she tried to answer him. "No, not really, this has been one surreal night."

"Yep," he popped the P. "You can say that again. Right now all I want to do is floor the accelerator and take off on a road trip somewhere."

"Leave all our problems behind..." Bella whispered.

"Yeah, wouldn't that be awesome..." Jacob leaned his head back and closed his eyes tiredly.

A feeling of boldness crept over Bella as she glanced once more back at her house. She leaned forward and turned the key in the ignition. The engine rumbled to life, making Jacob open his eyes in shock. "Bells, what are you doing?"

"Let's go. I need some time to think and a road trip sounds the perfect way to do it." She declared, a manic light beaming from her eyes.

A grin spread across Jacob's face at her words. "Maybe a couple of days away are what we both need." He agreed.

Bella nodded. "Then go before I lose my confidence." She urged. "I think we deserve 48 hours to work through things."

Jacob put the car into reverse and spun it around easily. He floored the accelerator and took off, leaving a trail of dust behind him...

_**A/N-Thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Fire and Ice **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-hey everyone, thanks so much for the lovely reviews that you kindly left on the last chapter. I really appreciate your wonderful feedback. Sorry I never got to reply personally this time, RL has kept me busy. I managed to finish editing this chapter which I wrote last night. I hope you enjoy! Thanks, Nikki **_

**Part Three **

Jacob kept turning to glance at Bella as he drove down the winding road away from Forks. A part of him thought he must be dreaming, he would never have envisioned her being the one to suggest they take off for a couple of days. He kept waiting for her to demand to be taken back home, but when he looked her way she would just give him a shy smile before turning to look at the road ahead.

"Hey Bells, I haven't got any money on me and I am getting low on gas. I don't want to spoil the fun but our road trip is gonna end soon if I can't fill up the car..." Jacob admitted eventually. He tapped the dial with his fingers, almost as if that would magically change the reading from empty to full.

Bella gave him a tentative smile. "I have been thinking about that particular dilemma. As I wasn't expecting to be running off into the night with my best friend, I haven't got any money either, but what I do have is this..." She waved the expensive silver cell phone that Cullen had given her.

A devious grin spread across Jacob's face. "You surprise me Miss Swan, are you intending to pawn the leech's phone. I am shocked." he laughed as he saw her smile widen. Normally she would reprimand him for calling her beloved names, but ever since they had left Forks behind she seemed to be letting out her reckless side. He loved it.

"It's all for a good cause. I am sure Edward will understand." The smile slipped from her face as she said Cullen's name. "I suppose I better let him know that I am not coming home any time soon."

Jacob reached out and took her cold hand in his warm one. "Just send him a quick text, Bells. You don't owe him any more explanation than that after what he has pulled in the past." He said referring to Edward's previous abandonment of Bella.

A sigh escaped Bella's lips and she quickly sent a text to Edward telling him that she needed some space to clear her head. She snapped the phone shut and looked back at Jacob. "We will need to ring our dad's too before I sell the phone. Let them know what we are doing."

"My dad will sort of understand, but Charlie will be pissed." Jacob visualized Charlie Swan coming after him with a shotgun for kidnapping his little girl. He couldn't help laughing at the image.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked him curiously.

"Just picturing your dad's reaction..."

Bella smiled at him."Was he coming after you with a shotgun?" She teased.

"Hell yeah...I was just seeing that image in my head..."

"Wow that's weird...me too..." Bella admitted.

Tension filled the air as they pondered over what this could mean. Jacob saw Bella frown as she fiddled with the phone in her hands. "Is it the imprint bond?" she whispered.

"Maybe...maybe not, perhaps we just think alike." He squeezed her hand and she finally gave him a small smile.

"Maybe...I think you should pull over when we get to a suitable rest stop. I want to let my dad know asap. Will you have enough gas to get to Port Angeles? We would have a good chance of exchanging this phone at one of the pawn shops there." Bella suggested.

Jacob checked the fuel gauge again. "If we take it easy, we might just make it."

"Good. Drive on Mr Black..." she giggled as he saluted her.

"Yes Lady Penelope..." he replied referring to the Thunderbirds character.

Bella smacked him on the arm playfully as they continued on their journey.

XXXXXX

Jacob eventually pulled over onto a grassy verge. It was now one thirty in the morning and they were both feeling pretty tired. Bella yawned as she began to dial her dad's number. He was on a night shift at the station. She hoped that he would be in a forgiving mood. She exchanged an apprehensive look with Jacob as the phone began to ring. It was picked up almost immediately, but it was Charlie's deputy who answered.

"Hey Mac, its Bella is my dad there?"

"Oh Bella, how are ya girl? You haven't been to visit us at the station much lately." he greeted her cheerfully.

"I know, been caught up with school and everything..." she said lamely.

"That's a shame; we could use your pretty face around here. It's no fun looking at your dad's grim face all day..."he gave out a booming laugh making Bella wince as the sound hurt her ears.

"Yeah...err...so is he there?" She tried again.

"Of course, when is Charlie Swan never at his desk? Hold on a minute girl..."

Bella heard the phone ring before her dad's voice echoed down the line. "Chief Swan..."

"Dad?"

"Bells? Is everything alright, kiddo?" He asked her worriedly.

"I'm fine dad...err you know that I spent the evening at Jake's..."

"Yes..." Charlie's voice suddenly became suspicious.

"Well, we kinda decided that as we have not had much chance to spend any time together lately that we would erm...sort of you know take a road trip for a couple of days..." she blurted out quickly.

"This better be a joke, Bells..." Charlie demanded.

"No, look dad I need this, we both do. So much has happened over the past few months. We need some time out. I know you don't like the idea but I am eighteen. It will only be for a couple of days. Please dad try and understand." she begged him.

"You may be eighteen but Jake isn't, he is still a minor under the law. I don't think that Billy will be happy that you and his son are just driving off. I forbid you to go Bells. Running away never solves anything." he replied, trying to make her see sense.

Bella sighed. "I'm sorry dad but we both need to do this. I promise I will be back in a couple of days. I need to go now..." she ended the call before her father could respond.

Jacob reached across and slipped his arm over Bella's shoulders; he pulled her against his chest and let her cry softly. He knew how hard that had been for her. She loved and respected her dad and hated to hurt him. "Are you sure you still want to do this, Bells?" he asked her gently.

Bella raised her tear streaked face and gazed up at him. "Do you?" she turned it around on him.

"Yes," he said firmly. "But if you want to go back then I understand." He waited with baited breath for her answer.

"No, I want to go. I know that my dad is upset but I need to do this." She sat up and brushed her hand across her face. She handed the phone to Jacob. "Your turn..."

Jacob took the phone from her and dialled home. It took an age before Billy answered. "Jacob, get your ass home right now, I have had Charlie on the phone and he is pissed. What the hell do you think you are doing?" he yelled at him.

Jacob did not flinch under his dad's tirade. He knew it was just all bluster. "I need to do this, dad. We both do." he replied calmly.

His words seemed to pierce Billy's anger. "Jake, I know that tonight was hard for you both. Is this really going to help?"

"Honestly dad I don't know. It's just something we feel we need to do. Try to understand. We will be back in a couple of days."

"I hope you know that the Chief is probably going to be waiting for your return with a loaded shotgun." Billy warned his son.

Jacob laughed. "Yeah, probably, do you think you can handle him?"

Billy sighed. "Leave the Chief to me. Just be careful son, make sure that it is only for two days, no more. You have responsibilities here." he reminded him.

"I know, I'll see you in a couple of days, dad."

"Alright, see you later Jake."

"Bye dad..." Jacob ended the call. He passed the phone back to Bella. "Well that's the hard part over with."

Before Bella could respond the phone went off, as she glanced down at the caller ID she saw Edward's name flashing up. She heard Jacob give a low growl, an irritated expression on his face. She gave him a reassuring smile as she ignored the call and turned the phone off.

XXXXXX

It was a cold night; Bella watched her breath fog in the air as Jacob pushed the seats of the Rabbit down as far as they would go. They were both going to have to sleep in the car for the rest of the night before continuing on to Port Angeles in the morning.

"I've got a blanket in the back, I won't be a sec..." he said as he saw her shiver. Even though she was wearing a thick coat she still felt the chill.

He was back within a minute and Bella gratefully took the proffered blanket and wrapped it around herself. Jacob lay back in his seat and held out his arms, Bella smiled at him before laying back herself and snuggling into his embrace. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions but with Jacob's supernatural warmth surrounding her like a cocoon she soon felt toasty warm. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she let sleep claim her. Before she went under she thought she heard Jacob whisper.

"I love you, Bells..."

She smiled as she heard the words and nestled closer to him, placing her hand over his strongly beating heart.

XXXXXX

It took Jacob a lot longer to succumb to his exhaustion; he had so many thoughts whirring through his mind. He rested his head next to Bella's and watched the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She was so beautiful and had no clue. He gently touched her long, chestnut hair. He loved the feel of the soft stands as he stroked the wisps away from her face. Her dark lashes fanned her cheeks which were slightly flushed, even in her sleep. Jacob traced a finger over her creamy skin and as he touched her a smile lit up her face.

"My Jacob," she mumbled in her sleep.

He felt his heart leap as he heard her speak the words, Leaning forward he placed his lips onto her forehead and kissed her smooth skin. "My Bella..." he whispered.

Cradling her closer in his arms, Jacob buried his face in her lustrous hair and breathed in her scent. The feeling of her wrapped securely in his arms soothed him as he finally fell asleep.

_**A/N-thanks for reading...**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Fire and Ice**

Disclaimer: all characters and cop0yright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Four **

Bella's dreams were filled with Edward, he was pleading with her to return. His handsome face was drawn as she watched him hold out his arms."Bella please, your safety is all that matters. He is dangerous and unpredictable. Come home my love..."

She felt torn as he placed a cold hand over hers, his touch sent tremors through her body and as she tried to snatch her hand away he held it in an iron grip. "Edward, let me go..." she said uneasily.

"I can't my love. We belong together. Please just come back..." His handsome face came closer to hers as he leaned in to place a kiss on her lips. Bella was mesmerized by his golden eyes as his face drew nearer to her own. His grip on her hand tightened and she knew that she was going to faint, his sweet scent was overpowering as was the sincerity shining from his eyes.

"Who do you love, my Bella?" he asked, flashing her one of his crooked smiles, his lips now mere centimetres from her own.

Bella's eyelids fluttered open as she heard another beloved voice calling her name. She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the light. Jacob's face swam into view, a worried frown marring his forehead.

"Bells, are you alright? You were having some sort of nightmare." Bella felt his warm hand stroke her hair away from her face as she finally came to.

She struggled to sit up as she felt her breathing return to normal, she hadn't even been aware that she had been hyperventilating. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Jacob watched her carefully. He still looked concerned. "Bells, it wasn't about me was it? I mean because you now know about the imprinting bond..." he asked cautiously.

Bella couldn't bear to see the hurt look in his eyes. She rushed to reassure him. "No, it was nothing like that. It was about Edward..." she admitted.

Jacob sighed heavily. "I see," he said dully. "I suppose this means you want to go back."

"No, that's not it; I need to get away more than ever now. I feel like I am waking up Jake. I know that it sounds crazy but I feel like I have been running on autopilot. Since I made the conscious decision to leave Edward behind it's like I have woken up from a surreal dream. I am so sorry I am not explaining things well..."

"No, honey exactly the opposite, you are making perfect sense." Jacob gave her a relieved smile and she found herself returning it.

She touched his lips with her finger, tracing the outline gently. "I love your smile." she whispered.

Jacob reached out and tentatively touched her cheek. The warm feeling that coursed through her veins at his touch made her pause. She was not used to this feeling, he made her feel alive. The difference between them both was brought to the fore. Bella had grown used to Edward's coldness. His inability to control his thirst around her made him keep her at arm's length. It took a lot of willpower on his part to hold her or place the occasional kiss on her lips.

Bella stared at Jacob; his short hair was sticking up in spikes where he had been sleeping. He looked so adorable. His fingers were still roaming along her skin and she found herself touching him. His skin was smooth and soft under her wandering fingers and the heat radiating from his body was soothing. She reached his lips again and her eyes were riveted to them. She had a sudden urge to kiss those inviting lips and without giving it a second thought she leaned in and pressed her mouth onto his.

XXXXXX

Jacob was so shocked by her sudden move that it took him a few seconds to respond. Bella's eyes opened when he made no move to reciprocate and she began to pull away, feeling utterly mortified. Her action brought Jacob out of his stupor and he slipped his hand into her hair anchoring her in place as he sought out her lips. The sudden warmth that flooded Bella's being when their mouths touched again made her gasp. It was almost as if a floodgate had been opened in Bella's mind. Her eyes were closed but she swore she could see a cocoon of light surrounding them as they kissed. She felt like he had broken through a mental barrier that she had surrounded herself with. All her life she had to be self sufficient, her flaky mother had forced her to be the strong one. Living with Charlie and having a parent who was the exact opposite had been a revelation to her. Her dad looked out for her in ways that Renee never had and then along came Edward and his family. For the first time she had others to keep her safe. Edward had chipped away at her self esteem until she felt unable to cope alone.

Now there was Jacob, a warm hearted, happy go lucky, caring guy who had been her saviour when the one who had purported to love her left her abandoned in the forest _for her own good_ as Edward had succinctly explained his actions. Her ability to think rationally had been cut off when he returned, she had immediately reverted to the meek, helpless individual that Edward assumed that she was. She had been playing a role to keep him by her side because she had convinced herself that she couldn't function without him, but she had been for months. With Jacob by her side, Bella had been living again. Her walls had begun to crumble around him and now he had broken through the last of her defences. The imprint bond took hold as Bella opened herself up to Jacob and all that he had to offer.

They broke apart panting heavily. Jacob leaned his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. "Please tell me you felt that," he begged her.

Bella was lost for words, all she could do was nod, but this was enough for Jacob. He gave her one of his sunny grins and kissed her again, savouring the feeling of her soft mouth moulding with his. The joy that was surging through him as everything that he had ever wished for became a reality made him delirious. "God, I love you Bella Swan," he declared when the kiss ended.

Bella felt her heart racing as she heard his declaration. She kissed him again quickly before telling him what he was dying to hear. "I think I love you too."

XXXXXX

It was Bella's cell phone that ruined their happy mood. It began ringing and when Bella checked who was calling, Edward's name flashed up. Jacob let out a curse and Bella sighed.

"I need to answer it. If I don't speak to him he will try and track us down." she said softly.

Jacob hit the steering wheel in irritation. "Give the phone to me and I will tell the leech to fuck off." He swore.

"I know you are angry Jake but you have to keep calm. Let me speak to him and then we can carry on to Port Angeles like we planned." She caught hold of his hand and laced her fingers through his.

"If he says anything out of line..." he warned, fire flashing from his dark eyes.

Bella just squeezed his hand, the persistent ringing was grating on her nerves. She pressed the call answer button. "Bella, at last, I have been so worried. "Edward's voice was laced with concern.

"I'm fine, Edward. I told you in my text that I needed some time to think, please respect my wishes." she replied irritably.

"Bella I know that the d...Jacob is with you, I really think you need to reconsider what you are doing, you do not have to feel beholden to him. He is playing on your guilt, you owe him nothing. Just come home my love and we can move past this." He wheedled.

"Edward this is my decision, I need time away from all the chaos. Just give me that, after all you had months to think through yours," she shot back at him.

"Bella I cannot believe that you would say that to me. I thought we had moved past all this. I left you for..."

"Yeah I know _for my own good._ " She used the well worn line that he spouted whenever they talked about the time he left her. "I am doing this for my own good. I want you to respect my decision and leave me in peace to think things through."

"Bella I know that this is Jacob making you do this, he has been preying on your guilty feelings ever since my return. I refuse to let him put you in danger." his voice rose as he spoke, showing his anger for the first time.

Bella felt her own temper rising to match his. "You just never listen do you? This is my decision; Jake does not manipulate me like you do."

"Bella love I cannot believe you said that. Your safety is paramount. I only ever wanted to keep you away from danger and Jacob is dangerous. He is a wolf and they are notoriously unstable." Edward pleaded with her. "Tell me where you are and I will come and get you right now."

Jacob had heard enough, he grabbed the cell phone from Bella. "Listen Edweirdo get it into your dead skull that Bells does not want to see, hear or even think about you. The only one manipulating her is you, so..."

Bella wrestled the phone away from Jacob, she was seriously pissed. "Do not presume to speak for me"

Jacob crossed his arms defensively. "The leech was pissing me off."

Bella ignored him as she pressed the phone to her ear. "I will just say it again Edward. I need some space, do not call me again. I will call you when I am ready."

Bella ended the call and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. Jacob was trying to keep his temper under control; the leech had seriously pissed him off. One minute he had been elated because Bella had finally confessed that she might love him too and then Cullen had to ruin the moment by spouting his usual crap about how unsafe it was for Bella to be around him or the pack.

Bella could sense how upset Jacob was feeling, whether it was just that she knew him so well or the imprint bond kicking in, it was hard to tell the difference. "You have every right to be mad, Jake, but that is what Edward wants, don't let him get the better of you."

"It's so hard..." Jacob gritted his teeth and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"I know," Bella said calmly. "Look it's over now; I made myself clear to him. Let's get out of here, Jake."

Jacob gave her a wry smile. "We are really going to do this?" he checked one last time.

"Yes..."

Jacob leaned over and gave her a lingering kiss on the lips, before starting the engine and flooring the accelerator as he headed for Port Angeles.

_**A/N- I have to admit I am not happy with this chapter. Does it fit in with the story or is everyone out of character? Please let me know whether it's worth continuing this story as I am not sure. Thanks for reading! Nikki :(**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Fire and Ice **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyers.

**Part Five **

Bella left the pawn shop with a purse full of money, she had been shocked at the amount she had received for the phone. Edward had reassured her when he had given her the phone, that although it looked expensive, it was not. Of course he had lied, why should she be surprised? Well at least this time his lie had come in handy, she had enough money now to rent a motel room for a couple of nights and fill the rabbit up with gas. As she headed toward the little red car she frowned, Jacob was leaning causally against the side of his car, arms crossed, looking every inch the sex god that he was and chatting with a blonde girl. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him smile at the other girl and laugh at something she said.

Bella felt her face heat up as she stomped toward Jacob and his female companion, she inserted herself in between them and glared at the petite blonde. "And who might you be?" She demanded.

"Bells..." Jacob interjected, surprised at her attitude. "This is Penny, she was kind enough to..."

"I can see perfectly what she was _kind enough to give you_ Jake. I am not stupid..." Bella's irrational jealousy flared up as she shot the bewildered blonde a dirty look.

"What is your problem?" The girl called Penelope asked in annoyance.

Bella moved closer to the other girl and stared her down. "I think you can see that he is taken, so I suggest you move along..." She said icily.

Jacob was trying to hide his smile, he loved seeing Bella's jealous side, it proved just how deep her feelings ran. After having to live with her denial for so long it pleased him to see her revealing how territorial she was about him. However he didn't want her to make a total fool of herself. "Bells, Penny was just giving me directions to the nearest motel..."

Bella's face flushed red as she realised what a fool she was making of herself. She gave the blonde a sheepish smile before stammering an apology. Penny snorted with laughter at her obvious discomfort. "Don't worry about it, if I had a boyfriend as hot as yours, I would have acted the same way."

"Yeah...err thanks..." Bella muttered, still feeling utterly mortified. She watched as Penny winked at Jacob and said her goodbyes.

There was an awkward silence as Bella hung her head and refused to turn back around to face Jacob, she could picture the smug grin that was spreading across his face right at that moment.

"Are you ever going to turn around, Bells?" He asked eventually.

Bella shook her head no. "I feel like an idiot..." she mumbled.

Jacob placed his warm hands on her shoulders and gently turned her round to face him. She tried to hide behind her long hair but he just brushed it aside. "It's okay honey. There is nothing to feel embarrassed about..." he said reassuringly.

"That's easy for you to say..." she replied irritably.

Jacob leaned down so that his mouth was close to her ear. "I actually liked it honey, you looked dead sexy when you were all riled up like that." His warm breath fanned across her skin, sending tingles rippling through her body.

Bella looked up at him, he wasn't smirking, instead he had a loving look on his face. She smiled at him tentatively. "I got the money, more than I expected..." she told him.

"Uh huh...how much?" He enquired.

Bella bit her bottom lip, a nervous habit she had since childhood. "Enough for gas for the rabbit and a couple of overnight stays."

"That is awesome..." Jacob pressed his forehead to hers as he gave her his special smile.

XXXXXX

Jacob picked up the key to their room and whistled happily as he twirled the keyring around his finger. The whole situation still felt surreal to him, he pinched his forearm to check he was awake and not dreaming. No the pain indicated it was real alright. The thought of spending two uninterrupted nights alone with his Bella made his body heat up. He was glad that she had decided to wait in the car, it gave him time to calm himself down. As he neared the car he noticed that Bella was no longer sitting in the passenger seat, a sick feeling made his skin prickle as he scanned the empty parking lot for her. There was no sign.

He sprinted for the car and as he reached it the sickening smell of vampire, mixed in with Bella's sweet scent assaulted his nostrils. "Fuck..." he swore, hitting his fist into the side of his car leaving a dent in the side.

"Well it seems that I did the right thing by tracking Bella down, you clearly can't control your anger, can you?" Jacob whirled round to be confronted by a smug looking Edward Cullen. The latter was dressed immaculately in the latest designer clothes, his ridiculous hair perfectly coiffed.

"Where is she?" Jacob demanded as he towered over Edward threateningly. "How did you track us down?"

Edward just continued to smirk at him, eager to get a rise out of Jacob. Bella was being held by Alice, it was her vision that had helped him to trace Bella. When Jacob and Bella had separated from each other briefly when she entered the pawn shop, it had allowed Alice to get a clear picture of where she was. They had driven at top speed to Port Angeles and from there it had been simple, they just followed Jacob's strong scent to the motel.

Jacob felt his hands twitching, he was itching to hit Cullen square in the face and wipe that pathetic smile off. But he needed to be clever about this, he was still not certain where Bella was and he needed to find her first. Hitting Cullen would have to wait. "Where have you taken her?" He demanded again.

Edward's expression became irritated, he had been so sure that the dog would attack first and ask questions later. Bella was just around the corner, sitting in the back seat of his Volvo, with Alice keeping her in place. He had made sure that she had a clear view of his confrontation with Jacob. He had been so certain that once she saw the dog show his violent side ,that she would be appalled causing her to agree to come back home. However things were not going according to plan. He would just need to taunt Jacob more.

"Bella wants nothing more to do with you, dog. Why do you think I am here telling you? She is too kind hearted to let you down. You don't really think she wanted to go off with you, do you?" Edward began to pace back and forth in front of his rival, all the while keeping that same smug expression on his pale face.

Jacob's eyes narrowed, he knew that Edward was talking rubbish. He decided to play along with the leech's pathetic plan. Bella's sweet scent was still strong in the air, so she must still be nearby. He could also smell Cullen's sister, so Alice must be the one holding Bella captive. His eye's continued to scan the immediate area while Edward carried on spewing his bullshit, none of the leech's words really registering. Jacob decided that there was really only one place that Bella could be. The parking lot curved off around the back of the motel, there was a space in the darkened corner just big enough to park a car. As it was so murky in that part it was easy to remain hidden.

"So dog are you going to give in gracefully or do I have to show you the old fashioned way that Bella belongs to me?" Edward stopped pacing and puffed out his chest, a challenging light in his golden eyes.

Jacob tried not to laugh at the leech's posturing, he was coming across as a pantomime villain with his empty threats. He managed to keep his face impassive. He wasn't interested in conversing with the dead. Keeping his thoughts hidden so that the mind reading leech could not get advance warning about what his intentions were, Jacob suddenly took off, running as fast as he could toward the hidden corner of the parking lot. His feet pounded on the asphalt as he sped toward his destination.

It took Edward a moment to realise that his plan had failed and that Jacob had duped him. This momentary hesitation gave Jacob a few precious seconds and he managed to reach the Volvo before Cullen caught up with him. He yanked the door of the silver car open and, reaching in, he caught hold of a stunned Alice Cullen and dragged her out of the car.

"What do you think you are doing?" The little pixie protested. "Bella see, I warned you..."

Jacob ignored Cullen's sister and he quickly dived in the front seat of the Volvo. Luckily the leech had left the keys in the ignition. He turned on the car, holding his breath as the leech stink filled his nostrils. Jacob floored the accelerator and with the wheels spinning he sped out of the parking lot, Alice just about managing to fling herself out of the way. He drove past an angry looking Edward, who ran after the car, keeping pace with it easily. Jacob spun the wheel and headed out onto the main road, forcing Edward to stop following. They were now surrounded by other cars and people, the last thing that Cullen needed was to attract unwanted attention.

Jacob wound down the window on the driver's side and breathed in the fresh air that filled up the car, blowing away the cloying leech stink. He turned his head and looked over at Bella, a grin spreading across his face at the sight of her. "Hey, honey..." he greeted her cheerfully.

"What took you so long?" She teased him playfully as she gazed back into his twinkling dark eyes.

XXXXXX

After they had been driving for a good half an hour, Jacob felt it was safe to pull over. He parked the Volvo and swiftly exited the driver's side, joining Bella in the back. "Are you okay? The leech didn't hurt you, did he?"

Bella sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. "No, although I should have guessed he wouldn't keep to his word to give me some space. I should have anticipated he would pull a stunt like that..."

Jacob slipped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "Me too, I was just so excited about spending time with you I never thought he would manage to track us down so easily."

"It was Alice," Bella revealed. " She saw a vision of me coming out of the pawn shop..."

Jacob looked at her in surprise. "I thought the pixie's abilities were blocked when I was with you?" He questioned.

"But you weren't with me, you were outside chatting up the blonde..." she replied, giving him a wry smile.

"Very funny...I never thought about that. It looks like I will have to keep you glued to my side Ms Swan from now on." Jacob playfully ruffled her hair.

"Please do..." Bella winked at him enjoying their easy banter.

Jacob laughed as he pulled her closer, his hand cupping her chin as he placed a warm kiss on her lips.

XXXXXX

After a heavy make out session the two of them settled back down, trying to think about where they went from here. Bella couldn't think of anywhere. Jake's car was abandoned in the motel's parking lot, they had literally stolen Edward's car and all they had on them were the clothes they were wearing and a few cents that Jacob still had in his pocket left over from paying for the motel room.

"It seems that our short road trip is over..." Bella said regretfully. "We have no money and we can't exactly go around in Edward's car."

Her words brought Jacob out of his thoughts. He had been pondering over where they could go, there was no way he wanted to give up so easily. He was determined to enjoy their brief window of time alone together before they had to return home to face their responsibilities. He had an idea, but wondered whether Bella would go for it. Where he was considering going was not going to be comfortable like the motel.

"Jake?" Bella gazed up at him. "What are you thinking?"

Jacob took her hands in his own and stroked the palms with his thumbs as he held her eyes with his own. "I know of a place where we could go..." he suggested tentatively.

"Where?" Bella asked eagerly, her large brown eyes lighting up with excitement.

Jacob gave her a small smile. "It's quite an isolated place, Bells and there are gonna be no creature comforts. We will be living off the land so to speak."

"Where is this remote place then?" She pressed him again.

"It belongs to Quil's family, it's a small cabin. It's mainly used for a stopover when some of the tribe go hunting." Jacob watched her reaction carefully. Bella was biting her lower lip, her brow furrowed as she thought over his suggestion.

"How would we even get to this place, Jake? You know it would take me ages. I am rubbish at hiking. I don't even have the right shoes..." She said eventually.

"Well there is a faster way..." he kept his eyes locked with hers.

"How?" Bella asked him dubiously.

"Wolf riding..." Jacob couldn't help the big grin from crossing his face as he watched Bella's beautiful eyes open wide.

_**A/N-Thanks for reading!**_


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